Lifeboat launching device



Oct. 20, 1936. J. BADOVICI 7 2,057,995

LIFEBOAT LAUNCHING DEVICE Filed May 2, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 20, 1936.

LIFEBOAT LAUNCHI NG DEVICE Filed May 2, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 12 C y 25 4 fig IIII J&O/O V/c/ a J. BADOVICI v 5" lNVE/VTOR Oct. 20, 1936. J. BADOWCI 2,057,995

LIFEBOAT LAUNCHING DEVI CE Filed May 2, 1934 a Sheets-sheaf, s

LIFEBOAT LAUNCHING DEVICE Jean Badovici, Paris, France Application May 2, 1934, Serial No. 723,563

r In France May 1'7, 1933 3 Claims. (Cl. 1140.5)

The lifeboat formin thegubject-matter of th under the fuel and store-rooms 5v and under the present invention is designed for use in saving the engine room 6.

NT FFICE C w and passengers from sinking war-ships and The various sheet metal plates and other frame merchant sh ps. This lifeboat, which fgrms i members used for the construction of the hull are 5 effect a part of the ship of which it takes the connected by autogenous or el i w l 5 shape, is arranged on an inclined cradle placed The deck 7 hermetically Closing the lifeboat, in a recess provided at the stern of the ship, with Carries the superstructure the latter, p the level of the rear upper deck portion of the ing the commanding ofiicers cabin w h a bridge ship corresponding to the level of the deck of the formed y a provided W th 10W W ndows 10 llfeboat. The cradle carrying the lifeboat is it and having fresh air s ts a d shafts for 10 maintained in a vertical position, whatever may the evacuation of foul be the list the ship may h owing t t Under the deck of the commanders cabin 8 are rangement, under the cradle, of a roller device arranged Wat Op 011 a deck capable of moving to the right or to the left of the portion 12 situated nearly t th s a l v l. This gitudinal axis of the ship on curvilinear rails, deck portion [2 is divided intopassages l3 by 15 rigid with the wall of said recess. chains M or other hand rails supported by fixed A form of carrying the invention into practice removable D tS is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in The Various doors H p an t ance it which: terminating in a central passage H, the floor of Fig. 1 is an elevation of the lifeboat afloat, which is inclined in order that staircase steps may 20 Fig. 2 is a horizontal section partly in plan of be dispensed W The passage H ves ac ess 130 the same. a central distributing cabin l8 communicating Fig. 3 is a Vertical longitudinal section of the With large Circular and Side Cabins Along lifeboat. the passage H are provided the infirmary 2i and '25 Fig. 4 is a cross section made according to line the guards room 22. 44 of Fig. 2. e e An anchor room 23 is provided in the bow 24 of Fig. 5 is a longitudinal horizontal section made t boataccording to line 5-5 of Fig. 4. To the right and to the left of the side planking Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the cradle on a e arranged Swinging booms 25 p e 3 0 the line 66 of Fig. '7. they are lowered, to assist in the rescue, by means Fig. '7 is a plan view of the cradle of ropes and rope ladders 26, of persons who have Fig. 8 is a perspective view, partly in section fallen Overboa d. of the cradle. e The commandingofficers post is connected to Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the ship indicated t e d W 0 the engine room it y ircases 3"5 diagrammatically and showing the lifeboat and inclines. The engine room 6 is surrounded mounted at the rear end thereof. by cabins 29, similar to the cabins I9, 20. An Fig. 10 is a plan view of the same. electric kitchen 3|] is provided under the central Fig. 11 is a rear view of the ship on an even cabin I8.

keel showing the lifeboat mounted on the cradle. The internal combustion engines actuating the 40 Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 11, the ship begenerators of electricity are supplied with fuel 40 ing shown on an uneven keel with the lifeboat, by contained in a Compartment L 0 a de th reason of the cradle, remaining on an even keel floor of the deck portion I2, which, owing to its with respect to the water, the cross lines of Fig. enfolding shape, protects the screw propellers 32,

12 illustrating the horizontal and vertical axial actuated by electric motors 33. 4.5 plane of the ship when on an even keel. In the compartment located under the deck 21 The lifeboat l includes a double hull 2 divided are arranged electric accumulators. The room into compartments 3. The latter, located below 34 contains a gyroscopic apparatus 35 for prethe water level line, contain compressed air, so venting rolling, such being maintained in motion as to reduce as much as possible the consequences by a suitable electric motor. Cold rooms and the of a leak. Moreover, this hull 2 is provided with stewards room are located under the kitchen 30. 50

watertight bulkheads 4 which form compart- -The lifeboat above described forms an intements also capable of receiving compress-ed air. grant part of the ship a provided with the same,

The walls of the hull 2 are thicker at the level and ishoused in a recess b formed at the stern of the water level line and they are stronger under and in the longitudinal axis of the ship. the essential parts of the lifeboat, for instance When the said lifeboat I is in its recess 1), the 5 hull 2 of the lifeboat completes and. exactly conforms to the rear shape of the stern of said ship.

The lifeboat is supported in its recess 2) by a cradle, the telescopic longitudinal members 36 of which serve as a slipway for the hull 2, and are secured on cross members 31, provided with rollers 38, angularly movable in a curvilinear track 39 secured on the walls of the recess b.

This device provides for holding the lifeboat in a normal position, since the cradle carrying it can move angularly to the right and to the left of the vertical axis of the ship.

For launching a lifeboat according to the present invention, it is only necessary to release it from all the mooring ropes attaching it to the ship so that it can immediately slide on the longi tudinal members 36, the telescopic parts terminating the fixed parts of the cradle sliding on the said longitudinal members 36 in order that the said lifeboat should be supported until it floats. If the ship has a list when the lifeboat is launched, as indicated in Fig. 12, the cradle will nevertheless maintain an upright position as shown.

For hoisting the lifeboat on its cradle, the longitudinal members 36 are caused to enter the water in order to form an incline support on which the lifeboat may be hoisted by means, on the one hand, of a capstan and, on the other hand, by rollers 4| provided with teeth which engage with the teeth of racks 40 secured along the longitudinal members 36. These rollers can be actuated by the engine of the lifeboat.

The means for hoisting the lifeboat is indicated more particularly in Fig. 9 and shows a capstan 45 mounted on the ship and a second capstan 46 mounted on the lifeboat. A cable 4? goes from one capstan to the other. By winding or unwinding the cable 41 on either of the cap stans, the lifeboat may be hoisted or lowered as desired.

The means for rotating the toothed rollers 4| is illustrated in Fig. 1 wherein the propeller shaft 32 is lengthened and carries a screw 48 which acts upon a worm wheel 49. A worm pinion 50 is keyed on the propeller shaft and transmits the rotation of such shaft to the toothed roller 4!, designed to engage the racks 40 on the cradle.

Once it is housed in its recess, the lifeboat is held stationary by any suitable means, by screw jacks for instance.

During normal running of the ship carrying a lifeboat according to the present invention, the latter is reserved for the crew who may occupy the cabins I9, 20 and 29, which may be provided with hammocks or other sleeping accommodations. Moreover, the lifeboat may be used to contain the food reserves of the ship, so as to be quite ready in case of emergency.

It will be provided with sending and receiving Wireless sets, with distress vertical searchlights, as Well as with all accessories necessary for the rescue of the passengers. It can be adapted to existing ships by modifying the stems of the latter in order to form the recess necessary for receiving the said lifeboat.

For large liners, the importance of the lifeboat may be supplemented by other smaller lifeboats housed in the longitudinal flanks of the ship.

I claim:

1. A ship comprising a main hull having a recess formed above the Water line, at the stern and in the longitudinal axis of the ship, said recess having a bottom surface sloping to the rear and terminating substantially at the water line, said bottom surface being concave in cross-section, transverse curvilinear tracks on said bottom surface, a cradle supported on said tracks and comprising telescopic extensible longitudinal members sloping to the rear and curved cross members, rollers mounted on said cross members and rolling on said tracks, and a lifeboat detachably secured in said recess and slidably supported on said telescopic extensible longitudinal members.

2. A ship comprising a main hull having a recess formed above the water line, at the stern and in the longitudinal axis of the ship, said recess having a bottom surface sloping to the rear and terminating substantially at the water line, said bottom surface being concave in cross-section, transverse curvilinear tracks on said bottom surface, a cradle supported on said tracks and comprising longitudinal members sloping to the rear and curved cross members, rollers mounted on said cross members and rolling on said tracks, a lifeboat detachably secured in said recess and slidably supported on said longitudinal members, and means for hoisting said lifeboat along said longitudinal members.

3. A ship comprising a main hull having a recess formed above the water line, at the stern and in the longitudinal axis of the ship, said recess having a bottom surface sloping to the rear and terminating substantially at the water line, said bottom surface being concave in cross-section, transverse curvilinear tracks on said bottom surface, a cradle supported on said tracks and comprising longitudinal members sloping to the rear and curved cross members, rollers mounted on said cross members and rolling on said tracks, a lifeboat detachably secured in said recess and slidably supported on said longitudinal members, racks mounted on said longitudinal members, toothed rollers mounted on said lifeboat and adapted to engage said racks, and means for rotating said toothed rollers.

JEAN BADOVICI. 

